Tiltable signal-post



B'. H. MANN.

TILTABLE SIGNAL POST.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.26. 1920.

1,370,697. Patented Ma1.8,1921.y

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..A

BENJAMIN H. MANN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TG FRANK HORNER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TILTABLE SIGNAL-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application .filed January 26, 1920. Serial No. 354,135.

To all whom it may cof/wem:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. MANN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tiltable Signal-Posts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provlde a simple, economical and durable, tiltablesignal post provided with a weighted base or shoe having its bottom curved upwardly to permit freedom of motion of the post 1n all directions whereby it will yield under a slight blow should it be inadvertently struck by a. vehicle or other moving object, under which conditions the post will automatically assume a vertical position upon being relieved from strain. Thus it will be seen that the post is arranged to resist the force of a blow without damage to its structure or to the object striking it.'

Another object of the invention is to provide a post of this character which is so simple in its construction and durable that it cannot be readily damaged either by blows or by weather conditions. In practice the signal postl may be employed as a substltute for the ordinary corner light or lamp-post or it may be placed in safety zones or crossings and is especially adapted for location in the street where it is desirable to warn traffic as to danger.

lVith the above objects in view, the invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanying drawing and claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 represents an elevation of a signal post embodying the features of my invention, with parts broken away and in section to more clearly show structural features, thel post being shown mounted upon a slight elevation in a street or roadway, and

F ig. 2 is a cross section of the sameA as indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring by characters to the drawing, A represents lthe roadway provided with a slightly raised base portion B, the same being raised to permit ready drainage 1n all directions from the post which is mounted thereon. The base B is provided with a central well which is formed by a tube or shell -in threaded union with l thatextends a predeterminedpdepth into theV ground. The mouth of the tube is slightly flared as shown at 1 and said tube has loosely suspended therein a chain 2 rovided with a weight 3' at its lower end. he tube is also in communication with a conduit 4 whereby feed wires 5 are suitable signal lamp. The feed wires in entering the tube'are given suflicient slack so as to prevent breakage thereof and they may be interwoven with links of the chain 2. In order to limit the upward movement of the chain with relation to its well, the tube is provided with a stop 6, which stop is in the form of a set screw having its end extending into the tube and weight 3 whereby further displacement of the chain in the tube is limited.

Mounted upon the base B is a circular shoe 7, which shoe is preferably formed from solid metal so as to constitute a weight of sufiicient volume to vertically support a hollow column 8, the bottom of which column is an aperture that eX- tends through the shoe. The bottom surface of the shoe is as shown curved upwardly and outwardly from its central portion in all directions so as to permit a rocking movement in all directions-of the shoe upon its The central portion of the bottom of the shoe is provided with a flared recess 7 having fitted therein a stud 10, which stud is secured to the upper end of the anchor chain 2. The column 8 has fitted thereon a rubber tube or shield 11 whereby the same forms a cushion or protector for the collaras well as to form a shield to prevent damage incidental to the collar being struck by a. vehicle. The shield l1 is fitted into a l cupped flange 12 at its upper end, which flange is secured to the column 8, and mounted upon the column 8 above the fiange is a circular rubber buffer 13 as confined by means of av washer and clamping nut 14, the same being in threaded union with the column. The column 2 terminates with a threaded connection for a suitable insulated bushing 15 which carries a standard lamp fixture 15 having mounted therein a standard bulb 16. to which the feed wires 5 supply current for the light, it being understood that a suitable switch mechanism may be employed to control the light. The bulb 16 is protected by a heavy wire cage 17, which terminates Vat its lower end with a colsupplied for aA adapted to engage they lar portion 17 that is threaded to the outer surface of thecolumn 8.

While I have shown and described a .s ignal post embodying the essential features of my invention in all of its detail, it is understood that I'may vary the structural features of my invention without departing in any manner from the spirit of my invention.

It should be noted that in carrying out will be freely permitted, but should a blow upon the post tend to force it from its seat, the chain will limit the movement of the shoe upon its base by the Weight 3 coming in contact with the stop 6, and thus after the column or post has been laid down, it will automatically rock to vertical position, and the chain by gravity will run back into the Well. The buffer 13 is circular in form and serves to protect the post against damage at a predetermined distance from the street, and also serves to protect vehicles which may contact with it. This buffer in practice is an important factor of the structure, due

`to its protecting qualities.

It is also obvious that various day-signals may be associated with the top of the post, and that the lights used in connect-ion with it vmay be of any desired color, and if desired certain signal signs as to streets and crossings may be attached to the post, other than those mentioned.

I claim:

1. A tiltable signal-post comprising an elevated supportingbase having a well therein, a weighted shoe4 loosely mounted upon the base over the well portion thereof, the bottom of the shoe being curved upwardly from its central portion and adapted base over lthe well to rock upon the base surface, a hollow tube in threaded union with the base weight aperture, a signal globe mounted upon the upper end of the hollow tube, a yielding bumper collar mounted upon the tube directly under the globe, a shell embedded below the supporting base and having an open mouth in register with the weight aperture, and an anchor chain connected to the base weight and extending into the well and means extending from the well through the base weight and collar for supplying light to the globe. K

2. A tiltable signal post comprising an elevated base having a well therein a weighted shoe lloosely mounted upon the portion thereof, the bottom of the shoe being curved upwardl from its center portion and adapted to rocupon the base surface, a column extending from the shoe, a signal globe attached to the upperend of 'the post, a yielding bumper collar'carried by the column below the signal globe, and an anchor chain connected to the center portion of the shoe and extending into the well.

3. `A tiltable signal post comprising a signal base having a well therein centrally apertured, a weighted shoe loosely mounted upon the base over the well portion thereof, the bottom of the shoe being curved upwardly'of its center portion and adapted to work upon the base, a hollow column fitted to the base aperture, a tube embracing the column, a yielding bumper collar fitted to the column above the tube, an electric globe mounted upon the upper end of the column above the bumper, said globe being of less diameter than said bumper. whereby it is protected, an anchor chain connected to the central portlon of the shoe and extending into the well, a stop carried by the Well, to limit the upper movement of the anchor chain, and conductor wires"extending from the well to the' globe.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereuntoset my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

BENJAMIN H; MANN. 

